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Sunday, November 28, 2010

"If you touch my junk, I'm gonna have you arrested." ~ anonymous but now famous protest about a pre-flight pat down by the TSA.

Ok, I admit I'm trying to get your attention.

The incest I'm talking about is the incestuous relationship between our government policy-makers and corporations whose products offer possible "solutions" to our assorted problems. Thanks to the huge influence some of these corporations enjoy, policy alternatives do not appear to get a full airing before procurement decisions are made.

Take, for example, the Transportation Security Administration [TSA]'s use of new invasive security techniques. If your head has been under a rock, or you're still suffering from a turkey tryptophan hang-over, you might have missed the loud outcry about the use of body scanners that show operators pictures of your body through your clothes. I can't remember where I read it, but apparently the "view" is accurate enough that one airport employee apparently beat the heck out of another for making fun of the size of his member after a TSA demonstration. Oh yes, and don't forget the really personal physical "pat downs" that go with the body scan, to erase any lingering doubts.

It's the body scanner I want to focus on at the moment. Is it good policy or good lobbying that landed $338 million worth of federal contracts for Advanced Imaging Technology [AIT Corp]'s body scanner technology? Mother Jones Magazine presents a pretty thorough list of lobbyists involved, although somehow they left off Linda Daschle, wife of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and also a former FAA Administrator. Her contract for AIT Corp is said to be $100K. Look at this line-up:

"Which brings us to the money shot. The body scanner is sure to get a go-ahead because of the illustrious personages hawking them. Chief among them is former DHS secretary Michael Chertoff, who now heads the Chertoff Group, which represents one of the leading manufacturers of whole-body-imaging machines, Rapiscan Systems. For days after the attack, Chertoff made the rounds on the media promoting the scanners, calling the bombing attempt "a very vivid lesson in the value of that machinery"—all without disclosing his relationship to Rapiscan. According to the Washington Post:

Chertoff’s advocacy for the technology dates back to his time in the Bush administration. In 2005, Homeland Security ordered the government’s first batch of the scanners—five from California-based Rapiscan Systems.
....In the summer, TSA purchased 150 machines from Rapiscan with $25 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

The Washington Examiner last week ran down an entire list of all the former Washington politicians and staff members who are now part of what it calls the "full-body scanner lobby":

One manufacturer, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, is American Science & Engineering, Inc. AS&E has retained the K Street firm Wexler & Walker to lobby for "federal deployment of security technology by DHS and DOD." Individual lobbyists on this account include former TSA deputy administration Tom Blank, who also worked under House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Chad Wolf—former assistant administrator for policy at TSA, and a former aide to Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Tex., a top Senate appropriator and the ranking Republican on the transportation committee—is also lobbying on AS&E’s behalf.

Former Sen. Al D’Amato, R-N.Y., represents L3 Systems, about which Bloomberg wrote today: "L-3 has ‘developed a more sophisticated system that could prevent smuggling of almost anything on the body,’ said Howard Rubel, an analyst at Jefferies & Co., who has a ‘hold’ rating on the stock."

Oh, and by the way, the CEO of one of the manufacturers' parent companies, Deepak Chopra - no, not that Deepak Chopra - is said to have been deeply involved in influencing President Obama's trip to India this month.

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But, you might ask, don't we need these scanners, as distasteful as they may be, to deal with a serious security threat?

Yes, folks, we have a pretty serious terrorist problem. But there are other, proven security methods. Take Israel. That country's airport security is the safest in the world, and they do not use body scanners. Perhaps Israel never even considered body scanners. Their multi-party system includes heavily religious orthodox-influenced parties with a strong value around modesty. Their cultural considerations demanded a less invasive solution. In the short video that follows, Isaac Yeffet, El Al's head of security, talks about Israeli security procedures:

One of my facebook friends, Andrea Kent, made the point that Israel can do this because almost all air traffic goes in and out one (admittedly huge) airport in Tel Aviv. This might be different than running security through hundreds and hundreds of airports spread out across the United States. But then again, it might not be. We train police in every city and small town in the country. It's not impossible. I'm not even sure how the cost for hiring extra security staff compares to the cost for the body scanners, but think of how many people could be taken off the unemployment roles! I love a solution that solves multiple problems!

Look, friends, I'm not suggesting that America should necessarily do security like El Al, or that we shouldn't have purchased the scanners. I really don't know. But what I do know is this: there was no cadre of lobbyists pitching El Al-like low tech, less invasive security measures. We do not get a full and open debate when policy discussions are this imbalanced.

While I'm not thrilled by the possibility of some leering - or even earnest - airport security employee looking through my skivvies, I am extremely bothered by way these decisions get made - and I hope you are too. I am tired of the American people being victimized by incestuous relationships between our policy makers and our corporate "citizens." Discussions upon which these big contract decisions are made are not fair, competitive or thorough. It's a set-up, loaded from the get-go.

Unfortunately, that's just D.C.

The problem for me is, this was supposed to be the Administration to end "business-as-usual." I hated it under the Bush administration, and I continue to hate it under the Obama administration. The only thing better now is that social networking makes it possible for these little "relationships" to be outed. Not that my little blog with its 50 or so readers on a good week can make much of a difference. But let's get verbal, friends. It's the only hope we've got.

If you care, repost this blog post. If you want to read more, here are the articles that got my ire up:

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Last night, while I was just kicking back watching "Lie to Me," my dear friend Alison Rapping was thinking hard about how to save the world. I love Alison for that!

Actually, Alison was thinking about how to help nonprofit organizations shift their roles and relationships to enable them to adapt, thrive, and continue to carry out their good works in current times. Alison wants nonprofits to speak out more on their own behalf, to actively invite communities and community leaders inside to discover the nonprofits "assets" in their midsts, to form new alliances and networks to bridge the gap between need and the growing disintegration of traditional institutional support structures. This may sound like a dry subject, but if you haven't ever given it any thought, you may be interested to know a few factoids:

1. The nonprofit (third) sector is our culture's safety net. Business provides whatever services can be delivered profitably. Government handles any services society is willing to spend tax dollars for - fire, police, libraries, schooling, etc. A lot of stuff falls between profitability and tax-payer goodwill. The nonprofit sector steps in to fill that gap - delivering unprofitable but highly needed services of all sorts.

Do you or anyone you know frequent local museums, aquariums, botanical gardens, zoos? Use a wheel chair, prosthetics or eyeglasses provided by a service organization? Remain alive today thanks to cancer or other research undertaken by a medical research foundation? Receive donated food, holiday gifts or transportation services?

All these and many more services offered through nonprofit organizations lift our society's quality of life. Nonprofits are part of a system that ensures that an American standard of living is available to all of us.

2. The nonprofit sector makes a fairly large economic contribution to the U.S. economy. According to a 2007 report out of Johns Hopkins, "Measuring Civil Society and Volunteering: Initial Findings from Implementation of the U.N. Handbook on Nonprofit Institutions," volunteering and nonprofit institutions account for upwards of 7 percent of the United State's GDP. By contrast, the vast business of delivering utilities - water, gas, electric - to the combined residential and industrial customer base comes in at a mere 2.4 percent of our GPD! As governments shrink under economic and political pressure, and private businesses encounter a tighter bottom line, the gap to be filled by the nonprofit sector will grow.
Here are a few more tidbits from an article in yesterday's Arizona Republic:

- A study released last week by Forbes magazine on the nation's 200 largest charities shows donations overall down 11 percent in their most recent reporting year. Those 200 largest charities include four based in Arizona - the Muscular Dystrophy Association, St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, Food for the Hungry and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

- A survey by GuideStar USA, a non-profit-research group, reported that contributions continue to drop this year, with some entities scaling back programs, laying off staff and relying more on volunteers.

- Of 28 large Arizona charities profiled in this Arizona Republic special report, half reported flat or lower revenue over their most recent fiscal years, while three in four faced rising expenses.

Alison is thinking that if we want a healthy, thriving America, we all should be thinking about how to help our nonprofit sector stay healthy. Below are seven things that an organization can do to make a difference - and many of them are easily adapted for families, individuals, groups. Click this link to read the rest of her thinking. At this season of thanksgiving, I hope we all stop to be thankful for the gift of our third sector, and to consider the ways in which we can each empower our nonprofit community to achieve their many important missions.

SEVEN SIMPLE THINGS YOU, YOUR ORGANIZATION, AND YOUR VOLUNTEERS CAN DO IN THE NEXT MONTH (WHY NOT START TODAY):

1. Donate just one can of food to the community food bank.

2. Set up a food drive at your organization or place of worship (and donate lots of cans!) Invite all the businesses, schools and residents to take part. And, if doing this before the holidays seems to much, plan it for February or March. Our food banks need food all year around, not just during the holidays.

3. Host an open house for your neighbors, business owners, local elected leaders, volunteers, board members and the community (please invite me, I would love to attend!)

4. Host a Sunday Party for all the community members, elected officials (and their staffs) and business owners to cheer on the Suns, Cardinals, or this summer, the Diamondbacks.

5. Team build/volunteer to serve a meal at a shelter or take part in a neighborhood clean up at a local park.

6. Invite the children in your community to come make a Thanksgiving card to bring home to their families.

7. Invite the community to come make cards for our soldiers oversees; they would love the holiday cheer. (or considering doing this for Valentines Day!)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

The "Story of Stuff" folks put together this video on Cap & Trade. If you've wondered about the real story behind the political wrangling, but were afraid to jump into such complicated, murky waters, this video's for you! Thanks to my student, Dana Cunningham, for bringing it to my attention!